


Hardly An Anime Kiss Under Sakura Trees

by Jellyfiggles



Category: We Bare Bears (TV)
Genre: Falling In Love, Idiots in Love, M/M, Miki-Chan eventually gets kicked to the curb, Personal Growth, Rest Assured Ralph makes amends in the future, Sappy, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Unrequited Crush, Unwanted Kiss, tiny hints of grizznom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-30 07:42:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15747315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jellyfiggles/pseuds/Jellyfiggles
Summary: An unexpected incident with Ralph leads to Panda discovering his budding feelings for Charlie. He knows he needs to change the way he acts towards the friendly-neighborhood-cryptid however, if he has any chance of winning the Sasquatch's heart.-PERMANENT HIATUS





	Hardly An Anime Kiss Under Sakura Trees

Panda was scrunched up on the couch, legs drawn up as he tapped contentedly on his phone, leaving emoji-thick comments on various social media posts. He was enjoying the rare quiet of the cave, the place silent save for the soft hum of the fridge and the tapping on his cell. 

Grizz and Ice Bear had left earlier intending to hike to a nearby lake where it was rumoured the water was so clear you could see all the way to the bottom. Panda hadn’t felt like going, he’d still had a few episodes of the new anime he’d bought online so despite a little frowning and coaxing, Grizz had let him stay.

Panda yawned into his paw, engrossed in a cute post about some kittens raised by a raccoon when there was a pounding at the door. He yelped and jolted right off the couch, paws scrabbling not to drop his phone as the pounding came again.

Dragging himself to his feet and pouting a little, rubbing his behind, he made his way to the front door. “I’m coming I’m coming!” He’d barely twisted the doorknob when the door was tugged open roughly and he was jerked forwards into a furred torso.

He blinked at the faceful of fur and he tilted his head back, a snickering Ralph peering down at him. “Hey soft serve, long time no see!”

Panda shot him a withering look, stepping backwards. His voice left little doubt that he didn't want the mean sasquatch around. "..Hey Ralph.... Charlie isn't here."

Ralph gave a laugh and pushed his way in. “Yeah yeah that’s fine stripes, I’ll wait.” He strolled over to the fridge and pulled out a carton of milk and began to chug it down.

Panda shut the door on autopilot, but was left watching the rude and fross display with his mouth hanging open. “Hey don’t-!” he realized Ralph had downed the entire carton, “ugh fine, forget it.” He picked up his phone but kept a wary eye on the sasquatch as he leaned against the kitchen table. “My bros are up at West Lake and Charlie’s not visiting today, did you need something?” Panda asked cautiously, tapping that the screen with sweaty paws.

Ralph set the empty carton back in the fridge and wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. “Yeah, I was gonna ask Tiny some questions, but I figure you can answer them just as good.” He smirked and stalked towards the bear, who backed away until he was pressed against the wall.

“Que-questions? Like what?” Panda squeaked, dropping his phone on the ground as his back his the dry dirt of the cave wall. He yelped when Ralph gripped his sides and studied him with an intense stare.

"What does Tiny see in you?" Ralph leaned closer, eyes squinting as he studied Panda closely. In response, Panda found himself leaning back as much as he could in the large sasquatch's hold. "You're not strong, you don't have any sweet moves, you're just a round furball, all weak and soft and delicate..." Ralph's voice trailed off and one of his huge hands released the bear's side, reaching up to cup the side of his head, fingertips grazing the fluffy ear.

Panda blinked and shivered at the touch, slightly disgusted and very confused. He glared a little at the accusation of him being weak. "Charlie's my best friend, I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand.. um.. " he flinched when he saw Ralph's eyes harden.

"Someone like me huh? What's that chump got that I don't?" The sasquatch's eyebrow raised, his hand pressing Panda back against the wall. "He's nothing special, doesn't even have a sense of humour or nothing. You really want that clown as your mate? I don't hear no pitter pattering of rugrats though, so I guess he ain't good for that neither huh?"

Panda felt his mouth fall open a tad, eyes wide as Ralph continued, the sasquatch giving the cave a one-over. He couldn't make sense of the words at first and after a moment he barked out an incredulous laugh. "Ma-mate? Me and Charlie aren't dating!"

Instead of letting him go, Ralph frowned and his thumb and forefinger absentmindedly rubbed the bear's ear. "Could'a fooled me stripes, you're both always making goo-goo eyes at each other and you practically live in Tiny's lap. You one of them old-fashioned princesses, courting and getting hitched?" He chuckled, grinning widely beneath his furry moustache.

Panda spluttered, flushing and pushing at the sasquatch's arms. "WHAT?! I would never marry Charlie, are you crazy?!" His thoughts were in a whirl, shock and embarrassment making his voice crack.

"That so?" Ralph sounded oddly smug and his grin had turned pleased. The sasquatch lifted his other hand and used both to cup Panda's soft cheeks and he leaned down to invade the bear's personal space even more. "Guess if you really aren't a couple that means you're available yeah?" And without missing a beat, Ralph pressed his mouth to Panda's.

A squeak was an inadequate description for the sound Panda made as his upper lip was tickled by Ralph's furry moustache. It took a moment to register just what on earth was happening and he was frozen until a wet tongue poked at his lips. With a gasp he shoved at Ralph and tugged himself free, stumbling back into the room and swiping at his mouth. Panda could feel that his eyes were as wide as they could go, his face hot and his stomach twisted in knots.

"RALPH?! Ew! I got your gross moustache hair in my mouth!" He swiped at his tongue, backing away from the sasquatch until his legs hit the sofa. He let himself fall back onto it and pulled a cushion in front of him like a shield. "Why did you kiss me?!"

Ralph had appeared shocked when he'd first pulled away and then his brows had drawn in a brief look of hurt before hardening into an air of indifference. He snorted and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Pfft I was just messing with you soft serve.. you should'a seen the look on your face!" The sasquatch let out a laugh that sounded hollow and forced, before he brushed off some invisible dust from his torso. 

Panda clutched the cushion closer in his paws, eyes following Ralph as he let out a few more awkward chuckles and made his way to the cave door. The sasquatch cracked his knuckles before gripping the doorknob, back to Panda as he spoke. "Well, it's been fun stripes but I got people to scare, some mayhem to create, you know the drill. See you around."

The bear looked down at the cushion cuddled to his chest as the door shut with a bang. He swallowed, a muted scream bubbling up through his clenched teeth. He felt his breath quicken and had to close his eyes to stop himself hyperventilating. What in pete's name had that been? Why the heck had Ralph..?

It was all way too much, Panda held his head and struggled up from the couch, making his way towards his bedroom. He didn't want to think anymore, all he wanted was to get the taste of Ralph of his mouth and distract himself with anime or games until his mind went numb.

\--

Grizz and Ice Bear opened the door to a quiet and seemingly-empty cave a couple of hours later. Ice Bear had a chill box full of fish and Grizz's fur was till a little shiny and damp from swimming. The polar bear made his way to the fridge to stash the fish before they spoiled and Grizz flopped on the couch with a contented sigh. He lay back and closed his eyes, soon snoring away.

Ice Bear stowed the fish into the refrigerator and began to gather ingredients and warm the oven in preparation for dinner. The forest outside slowly darkened, shadows growing longer as the sun began to set. Ice Bear opened the window to allow smoke to escape as he fried vegetables and tofu. The sizzle of oil in the wok created a pleasant ambience alongside the crickets outside.

The sound of a door creaking open alerted him to one of his brothers being awake and he spotted Panda in his peripheral vision, the other bear rubbing his eyes and slowly padding into the kitchen. 

There was a snuffly quality to Panda's breathing and his dark eyes were reddened. Ice Bear felt concern lance through him but continued to fry the vegetables, free paw reaching for the soya sauce."Ice Bear caught many fish today."

Panda gave him a weak smile, leaning against the wall and holding his phone protectively to his chest. "That's good! I bet there were lots of fish.. in the lake.." He trailed off and rubbed the back of his neck. Ice Bear nodded but remained silent, waiting to see if Panda would confess what had upset him. "Um.. Ralph came over when you both were out..."

Immediately on alert, Ice Bear turned down the heat and moved the wok from the heat, twisting to give his brother his full attention. "Why? Where is Ralph now?" His eyes roamed over the cave and then over Panda himself, but he could see nothing amiss.

Panda bit his lip, looking terrified for a moment before throwing up his paws defensively. "Nothing! He didn't want anything! He left once he saw you guys and Char-Charlie weren't here." 

Ice Bear narrowed his eyes, Panda was acting very jumpy. His brother was prone to anxiety and was quite sensitive, but even so, Ralph never left without causing some level of mayhem. Just as the polar bear opened his mouth there was a loud yawn and Grizz stumbled into the kitchen, breaking the tension.

“Pan-Man! Did you have fun while we were gone?” Grizz smiled sleepily and stretched, opening the fridge and finding the empty milk cartoon, shaking it with a confused frown. 

Panda shpt nervous looks between them both and rubbed his head. “Yeah um.. I’m not feeling too good Grizz, I might make it an early night?” He offered another weak smile that made Ice Bear’s eyes narrow even further. 

Grizz blinked and patted Panda’s shoulder. “Aw, sure thing bro, you get lots of rest, we can save your food in the fridge for later.”

When Panda had closed his door down the hall, Ice Bear spoke, quiet voice seeming loud in the silence of the room. “Something, wrong with Panda.”

\--

Panda lay in bed, clutching Miki-Chan to his side, eyes wide in the darkness. He couldn't sleep, not with the myriad of confusing thoughts in his head. He still couldn't take in that Ralph.. RALPH of all people had kissed him. The thought still made him shudder and scrunch his nose up in disgust. That guy was such a dingle, no way would Panda ever want to kiss him!

And then all that weird nonsense the sasquatch had been spouting about him and Charlie. Panda tried to scoff at the idea of dating Charlie, holding his friend's large hand, kissing him…

Charlie and him sitting in the forest, eyes reflecting the setting sun, Charlie's hands hesitantly reaching to cup his cheeks, so much more gentle than Ralph... Panda shivered, butterflies igniting in his stomach as he imagined their lips meeting for the first time, soft and gentle and- he yelped, sitting up with a start and smacking himself on the cheek. No no no no he didn't like Charlie, they were friends!

He stroked a paw over Miki-Chan's cotton face, shaking his head to remove any lingering imagery. Silly, honestly, and all of that stuff about marriage, what even would their marriage be? In the woods and attended by woodland critters? It was so silly-

Unbidden he thought of trees draped with ribbons and flowers, lines of chairs set out in a forest clearing. One half taken by woodland animals and the other filled with all their friends, dressed up fancy. Tabes was happy-crying into a handkerchief and Chloe was grinning and giving him a thumbs up. Even Nom Nom was there, acting rather indifferent until anyone came close and then he hissed and ushered them away from the empty seat next to him, a piece of paper labelling it as Grizz's.

Ice Bear was standing at the end of the rows of chairs, one of Charlie's snake friends on his shoulder, tail curled tight around two rings. And the there was Charlie, looking nervous and excited and beaming wide at him, wearing a bowtie and his scruffy hair carefully brushed into submission. He fiddled with his hands before bouncing a little and offering Panda a shy wave. 

A jolt of warmth shot through him, causing the belly-butterflies to flutter again and his face to flush. A gentle paw gripped his shoulder and Grizz smiled at him, his grin so wide and eyes full of pride. "Little bro went and got ordained just for you Pan Pan! Isn't that great?! You ready to go marry that cryptid cutie?" The brown bear wiggled his eyebrows and linked arms with him, ready to march down the aisle-

Panda came back to the dark of his room, clutching his pillow and biting his lip. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might pop right out of his chest. That had felt so so incredibly right... it was hardly the dainty peck under cherry blossom trees he'd imagined but…

Charlie had saved his life, he'd protected him, fought his worst fears for him, he was always trying to make him smile, to make him feel cherished... Charlie didn't ask for anything, was always there for him and-and Panda had been a pretty bad dingle to him, over and over.

He looked down at Miki-Chan and sighed. He'd been a fool, he'd been so busy chasing after any pretty girl that crossed his path that he'd missed seeing that his perfect partner was already there in his life.

Well 'perfect' was a bit of an overstatement. There were things both he and Charlie disliked about each other. Panda craved attention and praise though, and Charlie gave it to him without expecting anything in return. And he just, lit up at the smallest of things... Panda imagined the dates they could have; sneaking Charlie into the theatre late in the evening and holding his hand while they watched movies, creating art together…

Miki-Chan was staring at him and he blinked down at her. The girl he'd crafted in his head... she ticked every box on his perfect girlfriend checklist but she didn't challenge him. She wasn't going to help him grow. And she certainly wasn't going to hold his hand and kiss him after a fun date.

He flushed all over again at the thought of doing that with Charlie, but his stomach twisted into knots. He relied on Miki-Chan and what if Charlie didn't like him back? What if Ralph was wrong? He imagined the pillow was glaring at him, demanding in high-pitched Japanese why he would choose a stinky, homeless monster over her.

He sniffed and shuffled over to the closet, stuffing Miki-Chan inside and closing the door. "I'm sorry Mkki-Chan, but I need to try." He took a few deep breaths to swallow the nerves welling up inside him and looked to the collection of Charlie paintings in the corner. The sasquatch's gentle smile gave him hope and he kept his eyes on them as he crawled into bed and began to drift off.

 

tbc


End file.
